Cover-holder for books.



G. M. DANIELS.

COVER HOLDER FOR BOOKS.

APPLxcATloN FILED ocT.18.1916,

1,246,243. Y Patented 11017.13, 1917.

- NVENTZ: BEmRGr-z M DAMEI @y #www GEORGE M. DANIELS, OF QINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

COVER-normen ron BooKs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented Nov. r12?, 1917.

Application led October l, 1916.-' Serial No. 126,313.

To all whom it may concern'.

Be it known that l, Gnonon M. DANInLs, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county ot Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coverel-olders for Books, ot which the following is a specification. Y Y

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved cover-holder for books, to which the books may be readily attached and from which they may be detached. The term books, as used for the purposes of the following description and claims, is used in its broad sense, to include catalogues, magazines, and pamphlets, Without regard to Whether such elements are provided with stiff covers or not.

My present device is adapted to hold a plurality ot books at one time, and is not restricted as to the size of such books, being capable ot' holding booksot different size at the same time. rihe device comprises a cover element and metal clips, he latter being detachable and adapted to hold the books in the desired position in the cover element. Each clip is iormed With a hump that is arranged to coact with a strap carried by the cover element, and the function ot' such hump is to prevent the clip trom being accidentally displaced or detached from the strap to which the clip is applied.

@t the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 represents ay perspective view showing the covr element partly open and tour books attached thereto.

Fig. 2 represents a face view ot the -inside oi the cover element, the latter being open and in a substantially fiat condition.

Fig. 3 represents a cross section, on a larger scale, through structure intersected by line 3-3 ot Fig. 2.

Fig. e represents a sectional view, in a plane from top to bottom, of the cover element and a book ot maximum height tastened therein by detachable clips, the broken lines indicating that a portion of the assemblage is omitted to save space on the drawing.

Fig. 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 4 excepting that the cover element is omitted and a book of relatively small size is secured to the anchoring straps.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.. 5, excepting that a book ot intermediate size is'represented.

Fig. 7 represents an elevation of a detachable clip having a hump arranged to hold it against accidental detachment.

Fig. S represents a similar view of a clip having a hump ot a different shape.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

rllhe cover element comprises a back 10, hinged leaves 11, 11, and flexible hinge elements 12 connecting the leaves with the back. The back is preferably provided with a stitfening strip 13 and is preferably curved as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. rlhe cover element is provided with a plurality of straps 14, or" which at least tivo are necessary. When only two straps are provided they vvould preferably be arranged near the upper and lower edges 15 and 1G, respectively, of the cover element. However', in order to enable the cover element to hold books ot dierent heights, I provide an additional strap or straps 1i. These straps extend transversely across the inside of the back 10, and their end portions are preierably arranged against and glued to the outer surface of the stilifening member 13, as shown by Fig. 3. rlhe intermediate portion of each strap is loose relatively to the cover element. The term loose does not mean a slack condition, but means a condition of freedom as to'separation from the back. See Fig. 3. As a matter of tact, I prefer to have the intermediate portion ot the strap tight, so that it will preserve the arched .or curved formation of the back and also preserve a suitable spacebetween it and the back for the reception of the clips hereinafter described.

The straps let, 1%/ aiiord anchorage 'for a plurality of detachable clips, and the latterV are used to secure the books inthe cover element. Fach clip is made ot a piece of spring-metal Wire and has tvvo legs, 17, 18. and a portion 19 connecting them. One leg ot each clip, in the present instance the leg 17, has a hump projecting toward the other leg. ln the term shown by Fig. 7 the hump is indicated at 20, and in the form shovvn by Fig. 8 it is indicated at 20. Both forms are, to all intents and purposes. eoluiva` lents excepting that that shown by Fig. 8 is more abrupt on one side than on the other, to make detachment from the strap more dilicult.

As shown by Fig. 1 there are four books secured to the cover element, and they are indicated respectively at 21, 22, 23, and 24. VEach book is held by two clips, as shown by Fig. 4. In the latter figure theJ height of the book is commensurate with the distance between the upper edge of the upper strap 14 and the lower edge of lower strap 14. Each clip shown in Fig. 4 embraces a strap 14 and the back of the bock, the legs 18 of the clips being arranged between two contiguous leaves of the book as illustrated by Fig. 1. The hump 20 of the upper clip coacts with the lower edge of the upper strap 14, and the corresponding hump of the lower clip coacts with the upper edge of the lower strap 14. 'I he clips are formed so that the legs normally coni/'erge as shown by F igs. 6, 7 and 8, so that it is necessary to spring the legs apart in order to apply the clips as shown. rthe tendency of the legs to spring toward each other1 maintains the humps in coactive relation to the said edges of the straps 14, and the clips are thus held in the desired position relatively to the straps and book. A book having a relatively short measurement from top to bottom, such as the book indicated at in Fig. 5, could be secured in the cover element by applying the clips to the straps 14 instead of to the straps 14, and in like manner a book of intermediate height, suoli as that indicated at 26 in Fig. 6, could be secured in the cover by applying one clip to one of the straps 14 and the other clip to one of the straps 14. The cover is thus adapted to hold books of different heights at the same time, and if the aggregate thickness of the books is less than the length of the intermediate portions of the straps, the clips may move in the direction of the length of the straps without being detached from the latter.

Clips of the form shown by Fig. would be preferable if it were desirable to detach them easily; but if the assemblage is likely to receive rough handling, or if for any other reason it should be desirable to have the clips more securely fastened toY the straps, the form of clip shown by Fig. 8

would be preferable. The latter clip may be applied as readily as that shown by Fig. 7, but the operation of detaching it would be more dillicult, because it would be necessary to force the legs apart prior to withdrawing the clip.

I consider the hump of the clip and its coaction with the anchoring strap one of the essential features of this invention, and I consider the provision of three or more anchoring straps, whereby books of dille-rent heights may be secured in the cover element, another essential feature of the inifention.

I have explained that the end portions of the straps 14, 14 are anchored to the back 10. The significance of this arrangement is that the freedom of the leaves 11, 11 to ope-n is not impaired. Consequently the cover will open fully without. any normal tendency to close, and the book or books that are secured to the cover will be held in contiguous relation to the back at all times, regardless of whether the leaves 11, 11 are opened or closed.

I claim:

1. A cover-holder for books, comprising a cover element having a back and hingec leaves, three or more straps extending trans versely across the inside of said back, the end portions of said straps being anchored to said cover element fand the intermediate portion of each being loose, and a plurality of spring metal clips each having two legs and a portion connecting the latter, each of said clips being adapted to embrace one of said straps and the back of a book, substantially as described, said straps beingy arranged in a series to coact with books of different heights.

2. A cover-holder for books, comprising a cover element having a back and hinged leaves, straps extending transversely across the inside of said back, the end portions of each said strap having return bends and be-A ing anchored to the back, the intermediate portion that connects said return bends ot' each strap being loose, and means for securing theback of a book to said intermediate portions of two of said straps.

In testimony whereof I have attixed my signature.

GEORGE M. DANIELS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

